Every country I travel to, if there’s a Mickey D’s, I’m going to try it. I love the idea of having something familiar in a new country, but with a twist. Let me explain: McDonald’s spends millions of dollars in market research and the restaurants in different countries offer a different experience. From the menu items to the toys offered to service and decor, it’s pretty neat to see what the McDonald’s market research team has come up with and what appeals to the taste buds of people in over 100 countries. With more than 35,000 restaurants, there certainly will be variations.

And at McDonald’s in China or 麦当劳, instead of apple pie, you’ll find taro pie (the bright purple insides definitely surprised me the first time around) and my favorite: green tea soft serve. Rather than only having vanilla or chocolate, there’s also one of the most popular dessert flavors in China. During lunch time, the line at the ice cream counter was always super long, so good job there, Mickey D’s.